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Tonala

Foodie Findings
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A taste of Mexico in the heart of Tacoma

Location

Tonala Mexican Restaurant is a family-owned Mexican restaurant located in Tacoma, Washington, serving authentic Mexican cuisine inspired by traditional Mexico City recipes

Address: 3702 S Fife St. Tacoma, WA 98409

Hours of Operation:

  • Monday – Thursday: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM
    Friday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM
    Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM
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Atmosphere

The restaurant is known for its extensive menu featuring over 100 items, including street tacos, enchiladas, burritos, seafood dishes, fajitas, combination platters, and house-made margaritas. It offers a casual, family-friendly atmosphere that is perfect for lunch, dinner, or celebrating special occasions.

Food For Thought

Tonala Mexican Restaurant has two locations in Washington—Tacoma and Spanaway. Family-owned by Miguel and Connie Contreras, the restaurant brings over 26 years of experience serving authentic Mexican cuisine. Named after the city of Tonalá, Jalisco, Tonala features traditional recipes inspired by Mexico City in a warm, family-friendly atmosphere. With welcoming service and beautifully decorated dining rooms, it's a great spot to enjoy an authentic Mexican meal.
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The Menu

Tonala offers an extensive menu with something for everyone. To start, they have appetizers like chicken taquitos, bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, and Mexican pizza. If you’re looking for something comforting, they serve tortilla soup daily, while pozole and menudo are available on Saturdays and Sundays.

The menu also features fresh salads, including a Chicken Caesar Salad and Taco Salad, along with classic Mexican favorites like enchiladas, burritos, and huevos rancheros. Seafood lovers can choose from a variety of shrimp dishes, while those craving something different can order from the American menu, which includes burgers and other American-style favorites.

Families will appreciate the kids’ menu, making Tonala a great option for diners of all ages. To finish your meal, be sure to save room for dessert, with sweet treats like deep-fried ice cream, sopapillas, and flan.

The Food

As soon as we were seated, we were welcomed with complimentary chips and salsa, the perfect way to start the meal. We also ordered a cup of queso ($12.99), which was warm, creamy, and perfect for dipping the fresh tortilla chips.

For my entrée, I ordered the Carne Asada Quesadilla ($19.99). It featured a large flour tortilla stuffed with melted cheese and seasoned steak, topped with sour cream, guacamole, green onions, and tomatoes. I requested the toppings on the side, and since the quesadilla doesn’t come with sides, I added rice and refried beans to complete the meal.

My brother ordered the Fajita Plate ($25.99), served sizzling hot with steak and chicken alongside rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, and warm tortillas. It arrived on a cast-iron skillet and made for a hearty, flavorful meal.

My mom chose the Street Tacos with carne asada ($15.99). The meal included three tacos topped with fresh cilantro and onions and was served with radishes, lime wedges, fresh tomatillo salsa, refried beans, and rice. The tacos were packed with flavor and made for a classic, authentic Mexican dish.

Overall, the food was delicious and we really enjoyed our meal. Coming from Texas, the flavors were a bit different from the Mexican food I’m used to, but that wasn’t a bad thing. It was fun experiencing a different regional style of Mexican cuisine, and everything was fresh, flavorful, and generously portioned.